Open Pores

A pore is essentially the pathway for oil to reach the skin. At the bottom of the pore is a sebaceous gland, or oil gland, which makes sebum to help keep the skin moisturised and protected. Once made, this sebum or oil travels up through the canal and exits through the pore. This is in fact, essential to keep our skin naturally soft and supple.

Why do pores increase in size?

Certain factors like the ones mentioned below are responsible in increasing the pore size.

Oily skin

Now that you know what a pore is, it is easy to understand why pores can increase in size. In fact, you will notice that people with overactive oil glands (or oily skin) tend to have larger pores. Essentially, with so much oil production, the pores get blocked, which can result in inflammation within the pores. This inflammation and extra sebum causes build-up and stretches the walls of the pore canal. Ultimately, with this constant stretching, the elasticity of the pores reduces, and the opening becomes larger.

Excess exposure to sunlight

Sunlight damages the collagen in the skin ultimately reducing elasticity as well, which in turn leads to increased pore size.

Aging

Due to the degradation of natural proteins which maintain the skin’s texture and complexion, the skin loses its elasticity and has pores which are bigger.

Physiology of skin pores

The skin has a very intricate microanatomical structure. Structurally the skin is basically divided into two layers, the epidermis (outer skin) and the dermis (skin below the surface). The epidermis is the epithelial tissue layer of the skin and contains hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands, which originate in the dermis and protrude to the surface of the skin. And these form the skin pores. There are literally millions of pores and associated glands covering the surface of our skin. They represent a route of entry into skin for certain chemicals compounds; and also a route for certain bio-chemicals to excrete from the skin.

Sebaceous Glands

Sebaceous glands are part of the pilosebaceous apparatus, which consists of the sebaceous gland, the hair follicle and the hair shaft. Unlike all other glands, sebaceous glands are holocrine glands, which mean they secrete whole cells. The secreted cells are dead by the time they reach the surface of the skin but whilst alive and on their way to the surface, they absorb lipids (triglycerides and free fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, and cholesterol) which are then secreted to the skin’s surface via the lumen (opening/pore) of the hair shaft. The secretion of sebaceous glands is referred to as sebum. This provides a way for the sebaceous glands underneath to lubricate and protect the surface of the skin.

Sebum secretion is under hormonal control and sebaceous gland development occurs during puberty. Pores enlarge during puberty, when oil glands in your skin begin to increase the amount of oil that they pump through your pores. The pores get bigger to handle the increased output. Most likely enlarged pores noticed around nose area as that area has more oil glands per square inch than any other part of your body. Excessive build up of sebum can lead to acne which is of primary concern to many teenagers and can reoccur during mid-life as ‘adult acne’.

Functions of Sebum secreted:

As mentioned earlier, sebum is composed of triglycerides and free fatty acids, wax esters, squalene, and cholesterol. The secretion of sebum performs several functions. Firstly, the water-holding power of cornified epithelium depends on the presence of these lipids to prevent skin from dehydration. And secondly, sebum protects the skin against fungal and bacterial infections. This is sometimes referred to as the ‘Acid Mantel’ of the skin. The ‘Acid Mantel’ for example is a key immune defense of the body protecting the inside from the external environment and thus reducing the chance of infection.

For people with oily skin, there is higher possibility for them to have enlarged pores. The excessive oiliness of the skin is in turn triggered by the hormonal changes in the body. It happens when the male hormones (testosterone) in the body become overly dominant during puberty. The activity of oil glands which is controlled and regulated by the male hormones increases fervently. And this causes over activity of the sebaceous glands and excessive oil secretion by the glands. As the traffic of the oil effusion increases, the mouth of the pore enlarges. Besides, the excessive secretion of sebum thicken the pores. All these results the facial pores become bigger and more obvious.

What are the latest advancements in pore reduction technology?

Targeting the key factors that cause exaggerated pore diameter and providing the key solutions can quickly minimize visibility of pores. An inordinate amount of time seems to be devoted to facials and physical extractions to cleanse cellular matter caught beneath the surface to prevent the formation of enlarged pores and also further enlargement of facial pores. The treatment has to be followed with products and technologies that target the stimulation of the biosynthesis and secretion of the collagen and elastin. In this way, skin has its supporting matrix and enables the shrinking of the pores. Sometimes a strategic combination produces the best results.